Choices
by Wolfgirlinfinity
Summary: You can really tell how someone really feels about themselves when you've been alone with them? Every insecurity you have can be seen if you look close enough... and sometimes it's ok to be weak.
1. Crimson

so uh, enjoy, this is a two shot, so enjoy this part

 **Crimson**

There's no telling when Bakugo first knew he was fucked. Completely and utterly a slave to his nature. It might have been after his fight with Uraraka at the sports festival a year ago, when he was really having fun fighting her, while everyone _except for her_ thought he was only toying with her. It might have been after coming first in the festival after fighting Todoroki, being angry because it was a pointless victory. Hell, it might have even been after he fought Deku, on the verge the on a breakdown as he desperately tries to understand his sense of inferiority when he finally realized he can't control how he feels under the anger.

Even if he didn't realize it before, he definitely did now somewhere between Uraraka grabbing his arm when he sent his left fist her way with that stupid grin on her face, and crashing into the wall across the room as gravity came back right when he hit it. Pain shoots up his back as he slides to the ground, and a bubble of anger erupts through him for not seeing that coming, but he doesn't let it show, closing his eyes and listening for her footsteps.

"Kacchan! Are you oka-" when she's close enough, he moves swiftly to swipe her feet from under her, and pins her, ignoring the ache that his back still had.

"Killed," he declares, smirking as he let her go, sitting with his legs crossed in front of her. She glares at him while panting to catch her breath. "Dammit what the hell, Uraraka? You're usually better than that!"

"You're the one who got thrown into a wall," she reminded him with a pout, ignoring the question, and he almost wanted to laugh at the face, but of course he didn't. _I've never been good at showing emotion anyway. You've been the strong one._

He scoffs, looks away from her ignoring his own thoughts, and pulls her over to him in a warm silent embrace for only a moment. She freezes up at first before relaxing and returning the hug. "Whatever. C'mon, school's gonna fucking start in a bit." He let's go and stands, rolling his eyes, offering her a hand to lift her up so they could leave. He then just lets her pull him out of the gym and towards the dorms.

While walking he reviews the fight in his head, picking out small points, thinking of things he could have done, anything to distract himself from focusing on her soft hands. They were back at his room in what felt like no time, and she waves with an almost too careful smile walking away to leave for her own on the other side of the complex. _She'll be fine. She's always been just fine._

The blonde hero only opens the door while she's facing him, and only looks toward her while she leaving down the hall. He rests his head on the back of the door frame with no decipherable expression as he watches her turn the corner out of sight, still listening as her footsteps get louder and quicker for a second before disappearing altogether. _Does it matter?_

He steps inside and shuts the door just to slide to the ground and bring his hands to his face. Wanting to scream, but again doesn't because it isn't like he was alone. Kirishima stood over of him in his school uniform, hair wet and flat in his head instead of its usual spikes, with a confused look. Bakugou returns the look with a murderous blazing glare that could burn through anything. Except Kirishima of course.

"You worry _way_ too much for a raging time bomb that isn't afraid of anything," He snarks grinning, revealing all of his sharply pointed teeth. He, and Deku were the only ones who knew about him and Uraraka, simply because no one else bothered to ask or really notice since she hung with different people in school while he really only talked him.

"Shut the fuck up, Kirishima!" Bakugou growls, standing up quickly, igniting explosions in his palm in protest. "I'll fucking kill you!"

"There ya go!" Kirishima encourages grinning wider seeing his friend start to regain himself, walking back to his side of the room to finish getting ready. "Y'know she knows you're just not used to it, right?"

Those words sting in Bakugou's mind, and he finches internally, but his face remains angry. _Of course fucking I do._ He reminds himself while getting himself ready, trying to refrain from yelling anymore than he has. There's no way she couldn't tear him apart and see all he hides from everyone else. _She's always been good at doing that_. He thinks back to the time in the classroom when she read him like a book, and he was too stubborn to admit it.

He could tell by how she looked when she waved goodbye, or even earlier when she froze against him when they were finished training after he'd won just one of the uncountable number of fights they'd had just that day alone. All of the silent 'I love yous' she was used to getting from him were met with the same look and sense of security. A look, a _feeling_ of understanding _._ But would that ever be enough? _Obviously it already is. You're both still in this dumbass._

" _Yes._ " He says bluntly, smirking, letting whatever he felt sink down in favor of pride resurfacing almost like a light switch. _It doesn't matter what it is that she sees, right? It's obviously there._

Bakugou sparks an explosion in his palm, the light flashing in his crimson eyes now filled with determination. _Now pull yourself together._


	2. Cerulean

**Cerulean**

Nothing about Uraraka was ever a simple as it seemed. Everything she's ever done, everyone she's ever tried to help and talk to, she has had a reason for it, some internal goal, something that motivated her to do what made so much sense to her that others couldn't always see.

That included moments like this, where no one else saw what she did, but it just didn't matter. Moments where she sees something indescribable burn through Bakugou's usual irritated mask that breaks when he sees her exiting the dormitory from where he leans against the building waiting for her. She smiles at him cheerfully, and waves. He turns his head away, stands straight, and starts walking knowing she'll follow and catch up to walk beside him like she always does. As expected, she does.

She takes his hand as he's avoiding eye contact, knowing fully well that he probably won't hold hers back, and she notices his cheeks are slightly tinted red. "You're late, y'know," he comments, although there's no edge in his voice to indicate he was actually angry or irritated about it.

"Oh well," she sings unbothered, almost skipping wherever she walked. "At least I'm not alone."

When she says that, she feels his hand tense in hers for a bit then relax, and she smiles to herself.

"Whatever," he mutters. "Next time you're late I'll leave your ass."

She looks back at him, and raises an eyebrow. "No you won't."

"Oh really?" He glares at her. _Actually_. Now she thinks about it. _He might actually just do it the next time just because he said he would_.

"Uh wait…" She tries to retract the challenge, thinking that he's serious. He grins evilly, the glare gone without a trace, and she notices that the fire in his eyes was wavering. She squints realizing that he's messing with her. "Jerk." He looks ahead again looking, and unexpectedly holding her hand in his.

She almost trips when he does, but catches herself before she actually started to fall. She smiles apologetically.

It was rare for him to make jokes, and even more so for him to have his guard down as much as it is now, even to her, and she would have thought it was kind of nice if it wasn't weird. She could tell he was uncomfortable. _I understand._ She thinks, squeezing his hand. _You're fine._

She knows that he's been worrying, although he rarely shows it in front of her, and wonders if that was the reason for everything unexpected that he'd done today alone. _I hope he's been doing better..._

"Stop stressing about me, Uraraka," he says under his breath, irritated, letting go of her hand, still not looking at her.

He was just as good at seeing past any mask she put up as she was for his. Something about her demeanor had changed, and he has noticed.

He was right, showing he observed more than he let on, she'd been focusing only on him since they'd started walking, knowing fully well that he hated when she did that, believing that she needed to worry more about herself. _It's easier said than done._

"But, are you ok?" She asks, not really wanting an answer. She knows he hates it when anyone shows concern for him. She could almost feel his rage grow at the question.

"Worry about your damn self," he snaps in a way that was most obviously angry, but deep under that was an edge of annoyance. His words echoed what he'd told her before after they fought some mornings, and she takes a deep breath remembering them. _You're getting stronger. Take care of yourself._

She remembers Tsu telling her about when he'd told her and the others that she wasn't frail, defended her against the idea even, and not believing that it'd happened from him of all people. In truth, he'd held on to that as an undeniable fact, and it was the true reason he'd get pissed off at her strive to be like Deku. Looking now, Uraraka doesn't know how she didn't believe it. _He always knows how to build me up._

She stops, and shakes her head making Bakugou stop and look at her, confusion clear on his face. She smiles widely at him, walking to stand next to him, and looks over at the school building they stood in front of now, toward the entrance they were walking towards. _I hope I can do the same for him._

"Race me. First one to the classroom wins." He still looks confused, now even more so at the demand.

"Why?" _wasn't a no. Perfect._ She doesn't answer. Her smile turns smug, and she readies herself to start running. "Are you challenging me?!" Again, she doesn't answer. He growls and gets ready to run as well. _Too easy._

"Ready, set…" she starts. " _Go_!"

The two of them take off running to get into the school and towards the room. Uraraka laughs as she feels a rush of excitement, and looks over for a second to see Bakugou slightly ahead of her. Even though they were running, she could tell he was smiling, and he glanced over at the quickly, speeding up. He beats her to the door by just a second, and smirks with his arms crossed. She sticks her tongue out at him, and watches as his mask of anger returns to him, and he takes a deep breath. She takes a breath too, and gives a small smile.

 _He was_ almost _right. We're_ both _getting stronger…_ They walk in together, and then separate to their seats to start the day. _And_ _we are not alone in this._


End file.
